The deadline for submitting self-assessment tax returns has effectively been extended for two days. HMRC has confirmed that, because of strike action, fines will not be handed out to anyone submitting their tax return online in the first two days of February.

Under tough new rules introduced this year, HMRC will charge a £100 penalty for all self-assessment tax returns submitted late, regardless of whether there is any tax owing or not.

The extension means that people submitting their tax return online by 2 February will not be charged the £100 penalty, and if tax is owing they will not be have to pay interest on it for those two days.

David Truman, Partner at Menzies, said: "This will come as welcome news for many taxpayers, but you should still aim to submit your online tax return by 31 January. Technically this is not an extension - the official deadline is still 31 January and anything submitted after that is still a late return. It's just that HMRC will not fine anyone for the first two days because they may have insufficient call centre staff to handle queries. If the planned strike were to be cancelled, I'd imagine that this concession would be removed."